3D Printing Services for  Totnes

So, you know polycarbonate, right?

 It's often called PC in the biz. This stuff is a rockstar in the 3D printing world, mainly because it can take a hit and still stay clear as day.

 Imagine having a material that’s not only lightweight but also tough as nails – that’s polycarbonate for you.

Why is it a big deal for 3D printing? Well, think about it. 

You want something that can stand up to the heat and won’t shatter under pressure. PC is your go-to because it’s super strong and durable. 

It can handle high temperatures and impacts like a champ, making it perfect for those rough-and-tumble environments.

Technical Data

- **Tensile Strength:** Around 70 MPa (that’s megapascal, a measure of force per unit area).

- **Heat Deflection Temperature:** About 138°C, which means it can take some serious heat before it starts to deform.

- **Impact Resistance:** It’s up there with the best, resisting impacts that would shatter other materials.

 Test Case

Let’s say you’re printing a part for an industrial machine that’s going to be in a hot, busy environment. 

You print the part using polycarbonate. During testing, you hit it with a hammer – hard. While other materials might crack or break, the PC part just takes it in stride. 

Then, you expose it to high temperatures to see if it warps.

 Again, it holds up without any noticeable deformation. This makes it a perfect choice for parts that need to be both tough and reliable.

So, in a nutshell, if you need something that’s strong, durable, and can handle the heat, polycarbonate is the way to go in 3D printing.

Hey there! Let's chat about nylon filament for 3D printing. 

It's a go-to choice for making semi-flexible and mechanical parts because it outshines basic 3D printing plastics when it comes to chemical, wear, and UV resistance. But, there's a catch: nylon can be a bit of a diva on some desktop FDM machines. 

When you print it thin, you get a nice balance of flexibility and toughness. Plus, nylon's low friction makes it perfect for creating functional moving parts. 

That's why you'll often see it used for functional prototypes, living hinges, gears, and similar parts.

Now, you might be wondering, "How strong are nylon 3D prints?" 

Well, let me tell you, nylon is a beast for structural parts. To put it in perspective, ABS has a tensile strength of about 4,700 psi, while nylon clocks in at an impressive 7,000 psi. That's a significant jump!

Let’s take a practical test case. Imagine you’re printing a gear for a small robot.

 With ABS, it might hold up okay, but it could wear out faster and might not handle stress as well. Switch to nylon, and you’ve got a gear that's not only stronger but also more durable and smoother in operation.

 So, if you're looking to make parts that need to endure a bit of stress and keep moving smoothly, nylon's your filament.

Got any more questions about 3D printing with nylon? Let's dive in!

Alright, let's talk about PETG, which is basically a souped-up version of PET (the stuff they make water bottles out of). Think of it like PET's cooler cousin. 

PETG stands for Glycol Modified Polyethylene Terephthalate. This tweak makes it semi-rigid with good impact resistance, but it's got a softer surface, so it can wear out a bit easier.

Now, why would you want to use PETG? Here are some of the perks:

1. **Top-notch Layer Adhesion**:

 Your prints stick together like best buddies.

2. **Warp Resistance**: 

No more worrying about your prints warping into weird shapes.

3. **Reduced Shrinkage**: What you design is what you get, size-wise.

4. **Higher Density**: 

This stuff feels more solid.

5. **Chemical Resistance**: 

It can handle both acidic and alkaline substances without breaking a sweat.

6. **Flexible Printing Surfaces**: 

You can print on glass, acrylic, blue tape, or polyimide tape without any hassle.

7. **No Odor**: 

Printing with PETG won’t stink up your workspace.

Test Case

Let’s say you’re printing a replacement handle for a kitchen appliance. Here’s how PETG would come in handy:

1. **Design**: You whip up a design in your favorite CAD software, making sure it’s ergonomic and sturdy.

2. **Printing**: Load up your printer with PETG filament. Set your printer bed to around 70-80°C and nozzle temperature to about 230-250°C.

3. **Layer Adhesion**: As it prints, you notice the layers are bonding perfectly, with no gaps or weak spots.

4. **Warping and Shrinkage**: The handle prints out with no warping or shrinking. It’s exactly the size you designed.

5. **Impact Resistance**: Once printed, the handle feels solid and can take a good knock or two without breaking.

6. **Chemical Resistance**: If it gets some kitchen cleaner on it, no problem. PETG can handle it.

So, whether you're replacing parts, creating prototypes, or just tinkering, PETG's got a lot going for it. Plus, it won’t make your place smell like a chemical lab.

Polylactic Acid (PLA) filament is a popular choice in the 3D printing world. 

Made from renewable resources like corn starch or sugarcane, it’s a greener alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastics.

**Key Features of PLA:**

- **Biodegradable:** 

PLA stands out because it can break down into lactic acid under the right conditions, making it more eco-friendly.

- **Low Melting Point:** 

With a melting temperature between 180°C and 220°C, it’s easy to print with and doesn’t need as much energy, fitting well with most 3D printers.

- **Strong and Rigid:** 

PLA is known for its rigidity and ability to produce detailed prints. However, it is more brittle compared to ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene).

- **Variety of Colors and Transparency:** 

You can find PLA in many colors and levels of transparency, adding to its appeal for aesthetic projects.

- **Odorless:** 

Unlike some other plastics, PLA doesn’t emit strong odors when printed, making it a good choice for home and school use.

**Common Uses:**

- **Prototyping and Education:** 

Its ease of use and affordability make PLA perfect for learning environments and creating prototypes.

- **Consumer Goods:**

 PLA is often used for items like phone cases, containers, and decorative objects.

- **Biomedical Applications:** Thanks to its biodegradable nature, PLA is used for temporary medical implants and devices.

**Environmental Considerations:**

While PLA is biodegradable, it needs industrial composting facilities to break down efficiently. In regular landfill conditions, it might not degrade much faster than regular plastics.

**Storage Tips:**

PLA filaments can absorb moisture from the air, which can mess up your prints. It’s best to store them in a cool, dry place, ideally in airtight containers with desiccants to keep them dry and ready to use.

If you're interested in seeing PLA in action, you might want to request a sample part to test its capabilities yourself.

Hey there! Let’s chat about ABS filament for a bit. This stuff is a super tough thermoplastic that's a go-to for rapid prototyping and 3D printing. 

You know, when you’re whipping up a prototype and you need something that can take a beating, ABS is your best friend.

 It’s got great impact resistance and durability, which is why it’s a favorite in the additive manufacturing world.

 Plus, it’s got strong electrical insulation properties, so it's pretty versatile.

Now, let’s break down some of its characteristics:

- **Strength:** It’s pretty high, so your prints are going to be sturdy.

- **Flexibility:** It’s medium – not too rigid, not too bendy, just right.

- **Durability:** Again, really high. It can take some serious wear and tear.

- **Difficulty to Use:** Medium. It’s not the easiest to work with, but not the hardest either. You’ll need to get the hang of it.

- **Print Temperature:** You’re looking at somewhere between 210°C and 250°C.

- **Print Bed Temperature:** Keep that bed warm, around 80°C to 110°C.

- **Shrinkage / Warping:** This is where you need to be careful. ABS can shrink or warp, so using a heated bed is a must.

- **Solubility:** It dissolves in esters, ketones, and acetone, which can be handy for smoothing out prints or bonding pieces.

Let me give you a real-world test case. I once had a client who needed to create a batch of durable custom casings for some electronic gadgets. We went with ABS filament because of its strength and electrical insulation properties. 

We set the printer to 230°C for the filament and 100°C for the bed. There was a bit of warping at first, but after tweaking the bed adhesion with a bit of Kapton tape, the prints came out perfect. 

The casings held up well to impact tests and looked great, too.

So, if you’re looking for something tough and reliable for your next project, give ABS filament a shot.

 Just be prepared to fiddle with your settings a bit to get it just right. Happy printing!

Let's talk about a cool 3D printing material I've been tinkering with – PET, or Polyethylene Terephthalate. 

Now, this stuff is fantastic for home or office use. Why, you ask? 

Well, it's food-safe and waterproof, making it perfect for creating vases, bottles, boxes, and all sorts of containers.

But here’s where it gets even more interesting – PETG, or Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol.

 This variant is a step up because it’s got better heat resistance.

 Unlike regular PET, PETG's molecules don’t clump together as easily, which means it has a lower melting point and doesn’t crystallize.

 In plain English, you can use PETG for thermoforming, 3D printing, and other high-temp applications without worrying about it losing its properties.

Let me throw in a quick test case for you. I recently printed a water bottle using PETG.

 I set my 3D printer to 230°C for the nozzle and 80°C for the bed. The result?

 A sturdy, crystal-clear bottle that didn't warp or degrade when I left it in a hot car for a few hours. Now, that’s what I call reliable!

So, if you're looking for a versatile and durable material for your 3D printing projects, give PETG a shot. 

It’s not just about making things – it’s about making things that last.

 About Filaflex UltraSoft 70A, one of the most elastic and soft filaments you can get your hands on. 

This stuff can stretch up to 900% before breaking, which is pretty impressive.

 It's a TPE filament, which stands for Thermoplastic Elastomer, made from a polyurethane base with a few extra additives to boost its performance.

Compared to its sibling, the Filaflex 82A, the UltraSoft 70A is even more elastic and smoother.

We're talking about a Shore hardness of 70A and an abrasion resistance of 45mm³, making it one of the softest and most stretchable filaments out there.

 Like other Filaflex products, it's resistant to solvents, acetone, and fuels. However, it does have a lower tensile strength and a lower softening temperature.

One of the cool things about Filaflex UltraSoft 70A is how well it bonds with other 3D printing materials like PLA, ABS, HiPS, and some Nylons. 

This means you can create composite pieces with varying properties and hardness levels, opening up a ton of possibilities for different applications.

While it's non-toxic and doesn't emit any odors or toxic gases, it's not approved for medical or nutritional uses. 

Its high elasticity makes it a bit tricky to work with, especially if you’re using certain types of extruders.

 It can wrap around the extruder motor's pinion or bend before it even hits the HotEnd, particularly if you're using a Bowden drive system. 

Because of this, it's best suited for advanced users with a 3D printer equipped with a Recreus Extruder v3 or a direct-drive extruder designed for flexible filaments.

Now, let's talk technical. The "Recreus Extruder v3" is a direct-drive extruder crafted with high-quality components specifically for handling flexible materials like Filaflex UltraSoft 70A at high speeds, outperforming most other extruders. 

Another option is the E3D Titan Aero, though it’s not the manufacturer’s top recommendation.

 Test Case

Let's say you want to print a flexible phone case. Here's how you might go about it:

1. **Printer Setup**: Ensure you have a direct-drive extruder, preferably the Recreus Extruder v3.

2. **Filament Loading**: Carefully load the Filaflex UltraSoft 70A into the extruder, ensuring it doesn't wrap or bend.

3. **Settings**:

   - **Nozzle Temperature**: 220°C - 240°C

   - **Bed Temperature**: 40°C - 60°C

   - **Print Speed**: 20-40 mm/s (slow and steady is the way to go)

4. **Printing**: Start the print, keeping an eye on the first few layers to ensure proper adhesion and smooth extrusion.

5. **Post-Processing**: Once printed, let the phone case cool down. Its high elasticity should make it easy to fit snugly around your phone.

And there you have it! Filaflex UltraSoft 70A is fantastic for projects needing that extra stretch and softness, but make sure your setup is ready for the challenge. Happy printing!

 The world of carbon fiber 3D print filament, a composite material that's really been turning heads in the additive manufacturing scene.

 Why? Because it combines the lightweight and high-strength characteristics of carbon fiber with the flexibility of 3D printing. Pretty neat, right?

What's in It?

So, carbon fiber 3D print filament is made by blending finely chopped carbon fibers into a base polymer.

 You’ve got a few popular polymers for this mix, like PLA (Polylactic Acid), ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene), PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol), and Nylon. 

These carbon fibers are tiny, about 5 to 10 micrometers in diameter and a few millimeters long, evenly spread throughout the polymer.

 This mix-up gives the filament some beefed-up mechanical properties.

Properties Breakdown

- **Strength and Stiffness:** The carbon fibers jack up the tensile strength and stiffness, making the parts tough and durable—perfect for jobs needing structural integrity.

- **Lightweight:** One of the big perks of carbon fiber composites is that they’re light as a feather. 

This is super important in industries like aerospace, automotive, and sports gear, where you want to cut weight without losing strength.

- **Dimensional Stability:** These filaments hold their shape and size really well under different environmental conditions. That’s a big deal for precision engineering.

- **Thermal Resistance:** They also handle heat better than the base polymers alone, making them great for high-temp or thermally stable applications.

- **Surface Finish:** Parts printed with this filament often have a cool matte, textured finish. Not only does it look good, but it’s also functional, like providing a non-slip surface.

- **Abrasion Resistance:** One downside, though, is that carbon fiber filament is pretty abrasive. 

It can wear out your printer nozzles faster, so you might need to use hardened steel or ruby-tipped nozzles.

 Test Case

Let’s say you’re working on a lightweight drone frame. 

You decide to use carbon fiber 3D print filament to get that perfect balance of strength and weight. 

You use a PLA base polymer infused with 20% carbon fiber. 

1. **Setup:** Equip your 3D printer with a hardened steel nozzle to handle the abrasive nature of the filament.

2. **Printing:** As you print, you notice the filament extrudes smoothly and the layers bond well, giving a nice, uniform build.

3. **Results:** The printed drone frame comes out strong and stiff, able to handle the stress of flight without adding unnecessary weight.

 The matte finish adds a nice touch and provides some extra grip where needed.

So, whether you're making high-performance parts or just want something that looks and feels premium, carbon fiber 3D print filament is a fantastic option. 

Just remember to gear up your printer properly to handle it!